Last week, Truong Tan Sang, president of Vietnam, was received at the White House by President Obama with all the pomp and circumstance — smiles and a handshake in the Oval Office — reserved for a head of state of a nation the United States is seeking to court.

Certainly, there are a number of areas where the Obama administration would like to make nice to the president of this nation where beginning nearly a half century ago, more than 58,000 American men and women lost their lives defending democracy. Now, however, we want a lot more out of the nation that rose from the ashes of war. A Trans-Pacific trade pact before the end of the year, human rights, and above all a strong counterweight to Vietnam's big northern neighbor — China.

But three weeks from now, on August 11, the president of another Asian territory with close proximity to China will be slipping as quietly as possible into the United States. Ma Ying-jeou, the Harvard-educated lawyer who is president of Taiwan, will find himself treated to none of the pomp and circumstance of a White House welcome. Indeed, he's not welcome in Washington at all. He'll be touching down in New York, en route to Paraguay where he will be an honored guest for the inauguration of their new president. But in New York, President Ma will be whisked off as quickly and quietly as possible to an undisclosed hotel where folks into whose ears his arrival has been whispered will be allowed to pay him a stealth visit. There'll be no press conference. Not even a press release when he is still in the U.S. And the folks in the Taiwanese consulate in New York, when queried, simply raise a single finger to their lips. On the return trip, he'll repeat the same, stealth-style visit to Los Angeles.

"We understand it is just a private visit," said Dong Xiaojun, deputy consul general of the Peoples Republic of China in New York. "He will come here for a couple of days en route to South America. He will meet some local Taiwanese. Anything more than that…." he frowned slightly and shook his head. China would not be happy.

Beijing doesn't regard Taiwan as a country, its president as worthy of a state visit. Even a trip to Washington is far too fraught with potential political symbolism. China is trying gamely to ease Taiwan ever so closely into a bear-hug as just another province. And it seems to be working. Earlier this year, again with little fanfare, the mainland currency, the renminbi became freely convertible with the New Taiwan Dollar, easing the travels of Chinese and Taiwanese tourists and businessmen who shuttle with increasing frequency between the two territories.

All this is in sharp contrast, of course, to the tense standoffs that punctuated the depths of the Cold War, when the "Formosa Straits" that separate Taiwan from the mainland, became effectively a no-mans-land bristling with armaments on both shores, while two tiny islands, Quemoy and Matsu, acquired an aura of crisis that threatened to spiral into full-blown warfare. But somehow, through it all, Taiwan has managed to maintain a semblance of independence. Even if its newly resurgent big brother is increasingly calling the tune. And it's become profitable for Taiwan's astute business interests, to make nice to the mainland.

Not that Taiwan is falling noiselessly into the arms of mainland China. Four years ago, it won observer status in the World Health Assembly (the policy-making body of the WHO). Now it's seeking the same status in another UN body — the International Civil Aviation Organization. This move may be fraught with symbolism, but as the nation that is home to the most extraordinary new airline, Eva Air, with business-class seating at economy prices, it's making quite a swathe across Asia and on to the United States.

Still, for the moment, everyone is tiptoeing on eggshells. There are still those who see Taiwan as the last tiny corner of freedom in a Chinese communist universe. Just this month, President Obama signed into law a measure passed by Congress backing Taiwan's bid to join the ICAO as an observer. But Taiwan's president in Washington? One step too far.

One hand giveth, the other taketh away.

David A. Andelman is the editor in chief of World Policy Journal and author of A Shattered Peace: Versailles 1919 and the Price We Pay Today.

In addition to its own editorials, USA TODAY publishes diverse opinions from outside writers, including ourBoard of Contributors.